Skydiving, parachuting, base jumping… they are all extreme sports, but sometimes it can be hard for the lay person to tell the difference between them.
Asking “what is skydiving” is a fair question, because both skydivers and parachutists end up landing on the ground with the aid of a parachute after jumping from an aeroplane several thousand feet up in the sky.
So what makes skydiving different from parachuting?
The main difference is that with parachuting, your parachute opens as soon as you are clear of the aircraft. You then get to enjoy drifting back down to earth over the course of several minutes.
What is skydiving, on the other hand? Well, this is arguably a slightly more daring version of parachuting. You exit the aircraft and freefall without the aid of a parachute (either on your own or strapped to an instructor) for around sixty seconds or so before the parachute is eventually opened.
What Is Skydiving – More Dangerous Than Parachuting Or Not?
Arguably neither sport is more dangerous than the other. With proper safety measures in place there is no reason why you shouldn’t make hundreds of successful parachute jumps or skydiving jumps over the course of many years. Indeed many people do just this as a hobby or as part of a competition team.
What Is Skydiving – Expensive Or Not?
Many sports require a certain amount of investment, especially to begin with, as you will need to get the right equipment. In this case, once you’ve done your first jump with loaned gear from the skydiving center, you’ll want to buy your own jumpsuit, helmet and goggles if you are intending on skydiving on a regular basis.
Your initial training costs significantly more than subsequent jumps you make afterwards. This is because even if you decide to jump solo, you will still need instructors to jump with you to make sure everything goes smoothly.
What Is Skydiving Training Like?
Every reputable skydiving center will provide expert and hands on instruction for both tandem and solo jumps. The instructors are also well aware that skydiving – especially for the first time – is a very nerve-wracking experience. They will do all they can to put you at ease to enjoy the whole experience.
So what is skydiving? Well, it’s exciting, exhilarating, daring, nervy, demanding – and enormous fun. Many people struggle to go through with finding the courage for their first jump, but when they do they immediately want to do it again.
That’s skydiving in a nutshell.
